


Stargazing

by VicenteValtieri



Series: A Thousand Lives Unlived [16]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Funny, Humor, M/M, Stars, immature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: Sentinel Prime isn't the only mech who returned from diplomatic concerns. And one of the mechs who did return is much more interesting to Orion.Just a funny little thing I wrote because I'm trying to hash out how I'm going to adapt the world of IDW 2 to my usual stuff. Since it seems functionism is going to be all but taken off the table.
Relationships: Optimus Prime/Starscream
Series: A Thousand Lives Unlived [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/714828
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Stargazing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FoolynePropaganda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoolynePropaganda/gifts).



> I'm gifting this to FoolynePropaganda because I love their work on tumblr and I know our recent edgy anon gifted them a fic in an attempt to upset them. I hope this makes you happier than that fic did.

Infuriating as it was to have his opinion shunted aside like an irritating dog, Orion Pax couldn’t help but feel a certain relief to have the First Senator back. It was no longer his responsibility alone to keep order in the fractured city of Iacon. Still, he couldn’t help but feel that Sentinel’s uncompromising view of society would do more harm than good.

But Sentinel wasn’t the only mech who’d returned from the colonies. In spite of his crack about Orion’s competence and Chromia’s stinging rejoinder behind the mech’s back, Orion was glad to have Starscream back as well. The Seeker’s different point of view was often illuminating and… There were other benefits. 

Orion knocked once on Starscream’s office door and waited for the Director of Intelligence to let him in. The office was as much of a mess as usual – Starscream already fielding reports and checking in with contacts. The Seeker glanced up from his work and went back to it without saying anything. 

Orion stood in front of the desk, arms crossed and waiting. But his patience soon ran out – Starscream played his games and Orion chose whether or not to be a pawn or a player as it suited him. “What happened to put the First Senator in such a mood?”

“Aside from the first deliberate Cybertronian deaths in years?” Starscream leaned back somewhat, still reading the holographic report between them. “Our ship was attacked by Thraal terrorists intending to force us to abandon the A’ovans. Nautica kept information from me when asked about it. And somehow managed to stop the ship from being damaged.”

Orion ran the three sentences back and forth through his processor. “…Don’t do anything to upset Nautica. Not yet. Let me speak to her.”

“I’ve never asked or allowed you to fight my own battles for me.” Starscream stood up and walked around his desk to the door, locking it with his biosignature. “I will speak to Nautica. She won’t listen, of course. She considers herself a single spark in a crowd and pretends that being different means she knows the answer to every problem better than someone else.”

“If she had shared the information, would you have done anything differently?” Orion asked. 

“Aside from having the guard ready to deal with an autonomous bomb? Probably not. But I don’t appreciate her judgement.” Starscream faced the convoy for the first time. “In her words: ‘Most Cybertronians can’t distinguish between cleverness and amoral self-interest.’”

Orion thought it over for a long moment. “Well, she’s not entirely wrong.”

“Is that really how you see me?” Starscream tilted his helm back, which – long experience had taught – meant that he was considering something deeply and was deciding whether or not to be offended or angry in the next moment. 

“Your ambitions often blind you to others.” Orion considered for a moment. “But I think you believe you do what you have to. And I can’t fault that.”

“You’re not making this sound less insulting.” Starscream pointed out, perching on the desk. 

“I don’t want to fight yet, Star.” Orion sighed tiredly. “It seems all I’ve done is fight recently.” He dropped into one of the Seeker’s guest chairs and his optics dimmed down to their lowest setting.

“You make it seem as if we have to fight.” Starscream’s servo on his cheekplate was unexpected. The head of intelligence didn’t usually instigate physical contact – unless it was sparring in the gym. “But we don’t.” He stroked the cheek a little with his thumb. “…You are worn down. You’re taking all this personally.”

“Someone killed a youngling.” Orion looked up at Starscream with pain in his optics. “He was no more than fifty vorns old. He had parents. He had dreams. Now he’s just gone.”

Starscream’s lipplates firmed a little as he considered it. “Who were his parents?”

“You’ll never have heard of them. Limelight and Alabaster.” Orion sighed, squeezing Starscream’s servo. 

“No connections and yet they managed to be selected for breeding. Shocking.” Starscream pulled back a little. 

“Not this right now, Starscream.” Orion dropped his helm again. “I don’t want to argue it again.”

“It’s not right to tell certain people they can have children and others they can’t.” Starscream stated. “And if there’s anything these trips to the outer systems have taught me, it’s that these restrictions aren’t necessary. There are so many barren rocks and planets where organic life can’t thrive, that we could. We strive so much, our engineers are always thinking of new ways to add more to our fuel reserves, but we’re not allowed to enjoy any of it. Our standard of living is supposed to be increasing!” Starscream whirled on Orion and saw how downtrodden he looked. “…But I’m sure you’ve heard nothing but variations to that effect for days.”

Silence fell between them and Starscream took the second chair. They stared at each other for a few minutes and Orion struggled to revive his good mood.

“Tell me something interesting.” Orion finally said. “What did you see out there?”

“…We came upon a nova. Not an undiscovered one, of course. In fact, Hound had warned us all we were going to see it. He made it sound spectacular when he described it at fueling times.” Starscream narrated. “It was called the Lovers. And Hound described it as a beautiful, abstract depiction of two entwined mechs.” A hint of a smile touched at the sides of lipplates, pulling them up.

“And was it?” Orion asked, keeping his voice soft. 

Starscream settled in more carelessly, looking a little flippant as he continued. “It was a gorgeous golden cloud that had settled into an almost conical shape inside of a pink halo. It took me a very long time to think of why it could possibly have been called the Lovers.” He leaned forward, smirking, and with that wicked grin of his. “Then the ship turned slightly and I saw it from a different angle.” He lifted his servos and formed a ring with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, then took two of his digits from the right and put them through it, thrusting a few times for emphasis. 

Orion couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the idea. “You’re pulling my struts!” He reached out for Starscream and drew him in, pressing a kiss to his forehelm.

“Am I?” Starscream smirked and shrugged. “Maybe. Why not ask Hound to show you a still capture? He took enough of them.”

Orion chuckled, but his face grew more serious when his internal calendar pinged him with a notification. “…I have to go. Sentinel is summoning me.”

“Try not to poke him too much.” Starscream leaned up and kissed his lipplates. “I have things to do myself.”

“I know.” Orion released the Seeker and Starscream walked back around the desk. The happy mood seemed to evaporate as he fumbled, trying to find some way to revive it. “Starscream?” 

“Hmm? Yes, Orion?” Starscream looked up from his work – he’d resumed it like Orion had left already. 

“Perhaps after our duty cycles, we could meet for a cube of engex and some – “ Orion gave a light smirk as he lifted both servos and made the same gesture Starscream had before. “ – Stargazing?”

Starscream’s wings perked and his faceplates heated a little. “…I think we could manage that, Orion.”

“Good. Then I’ll see you later.” That felt better.


End file.
